Bad Medicine Or Not
by Svelte Rose
Summary: “Take it. Take it all, see if I care. It’s not as if we’d win the House Cup anyways since you Gryffindors seem to score points just by pissing in the bushes.” Draco, Hermione, Blaise


**Author**: Svelte Rose

**LJ Community**: 100situations

**Note**: Let's see if I can get half of these out by the end of summer. D

**Title**: Bad Medicine Or Not

**Date**: June 14th, 2006

**Theme**: 001- Disease

"Oh dear," Hermione Jane Granger pursed her lips as she looked disapprovingly at one of her fellow Gryffindors. "We'll need to send you to the hospital ward with Madame Pomfrey, Seamus."

Drenched in sweat and swathed in layers of red and gold, Seamus could only groan. "Noooo…" He crooned, his voice muffled by a wool blanket that someone had unceremoniously dumped upon his sweat-ridden body. "Her medicine tastes _awful_."

"'Mione, they really do taste awful," A boy standing to the left of her offered as he stared down sympathetically at his fellow Gryffindor through a pair of thick spectacles. "Perhaps you can brew something for him?"

"Yeah, last time I was there, I was ready to empty my-," Another boy began, running a hand through his red mane.

"That's against the rules and you Ron-," Another pointed glare at the second boy who could only shift nervously, "As a Prefect, should know better." She finished before wiping the sweat off of Seamus' brow. "Come now, bad medicine or not, he needs Madame Pomfrey."

"He'll be lucky if he gets a bed," Harry muttered to himself as he reached to push his glasses up.

"Harry, a little help, would you?"

"Right away, 'Mione."

With Christmas quickly approaching and the weather taking a turn for the worst, the student body of Hogwarts was quickly falling victim to a villain that fell second to Voldemort in the 'Evil Category'. The Wizarding world's version of the Muggle world's 'flu bug', it struck quickly and silently. One by one, the students piled up in Madame Pomfrey's ward, kept there so as to contain the disease as best as they could.

Hermione, Ron, and Harry were among the lucky few who had _yet_ to catch the flu bug.

"What a dreadful disease." A snide voice spoke up from behind. Brushing her shoulder free of imaginary dust, she pushed past Hermione and smirked. "Figures the _mudbloods_ would have something to do with this."

Hermione's eyes pierced at the speaker. "Riiiiight," She tutted sarcastically, a bored look upon her face. "At least I can say we weren't the cause of the _Unforgivables_. A series of spells I'm sure your family is very familiar with."

"Now now ladies," A smooth voice intervened before the former dove for the latter's throat, "I say, Pansy…You should be above name calling and you, Miss Head Girl-"

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Should be setting an example instead of going around indicting people for things you know nothing of. The _Unforgivables_? A serious charge indeed. Five points from Slytherin and twenty from Gryffindor."

"What?" Harry and Ron bellowed, catching the attention of one already frazzled ward keeper.

"You Slytherin git!"

"That's not fair!"

"It's obvious what he's doing!"

"Dumbledore must've been off his rocker when he chose you to be Head Boy, Malfoy!" Ron fumed.

"Ronald Weasley! Never will I hear you speak so rudely of the Headmaster, is that understood?" Madame Pomfrey demaned as her figure loomed over that of the students, her robe dotted with medicinal potions. After receiving Ron's acquiesce, she stomped away, calling over her shoulder, "And ten points from Gryffindor for disrespecting their elders!"

Once her body was swallowed by the swarm of students wandering around in the ward, Draco picked at his nails, glancing every so often at the three enraged Gryffindors before choosing to speak. "Thirty points under five minutes. Must be a new record."

"Shut it, Malfoy." Harry and Ron chorused, their faces matching the red of their robes.

"Besides, we've lost more from Snape." Hermione murmured under her breath.

A bit surprised at her mild reaction, Draco felt the niggling sensation of what could only be his conscience, but brushed the pesky feeling away. It must be the consequences of the less than exceptional lunch Crabbe and Goyle had pilfered from the kitchens. Before he could say anything, he was faced with an angry Head Girl- a recurrent occurrence, really.

"I'll deal with you later." Hermione fumed before turning on her heel and stomping away.

"Like I give a bat's arse." Draco rolled his eyes before turning around and striding the other way, Pansy close on his heels. It wasn't like he was going to be in the Head's dormitory anyways, with her there. Tugging at his tie and swallowing, he glanced up at the clock.

_Oh lord, Potions!_

…………….

Draco could feel his House Master's eyes glowering at him. Chastising his nerves for being so jumpy, he swallowed again before taking his normal seat in the back.

"Are you alright?" Blaise Zabini, his seat partner, whispered. "You're sweating like a bitch."

Glaring at Blaise, Draco replied in his stiffest voice possible, "Never compare a Malfoy to such a vermin."

Blaise arched an eyebrow. It wasn't as if it was his first time receiving the 'Malfoy death glare'. Really, who was the poor boy fooling? He could already see that Malfoy was probably sweating his balls off despite the cold temperature Snape kept the Potions' classroom. Blaise was willing to bet that Malfoy's throat was probably already swollen.

"Maybe you should see Madame Pomfrey. I think you're ill."

"Was just there. Nothing wrong with me."

Really now, Malfoy was just more irritable then usual. Blaise shrugged and turned the other way. If Malfoy didn't want any help, then he sure as hell wasn't going to give any.

…………….

"Lord, it's hot." Hermione mumbled to herself as she rolled up her shirt sleeves and bent down towards the fire place. Muttering a quick spell under her breath, the flames dimmed considerably just as the portrait hole opened with a loud grinding noise.

"_Have you gone batshit Granger_?" Draco howled as he stumbled into the room, throwing his books down on a nearby recliner. "It feels like death in here, it's so cold!"

"What are you talking about, Malfoy? It's like a baking oven in here!" She snapped back, ready to enact her revenge from that morning.

"Are you and Crookshanks in heat or something? This feels like the fucking artic!"

Her jaw dropping wide open at the words that spilled from his mouth, Hermione began seeing dots of rage. "Go to your room if you're so uncomfortable, you git!" She screeched.

"Gladly. I won't have to deal with your oh-so-joyous presence. I'll have Pansy whip up some of her special potion that she takes for her monthly. You'd probably benefit _greatly_ from it."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, even Draco felt a little bit ashamed of himself. He could practically feel the raw anger emitting from her body.

"Ten points from Slytherin." She replied coldly, her fiery eyes burning into his skull.

Which already felt like it was being ripped apart from the migraine, thankyouverymuch. Draco was not feeling like a million dollars that day. Maybe he should just suck it up and go to the infirmary.

"Take it. Take it all, see if I care. It's not as if we'd win the House Cup anyways since you Gryffindors seem to score points just by pissing in the bushes." Draco snarled back before throwing his robe onto the ground and stomping up into his room.

Ooooo if she could only curse. But Hermione Granger, refined Gryffindor that she was, settled for an infuriated screech and a kick in the couch.

By the end of the week, students had dwindled down to at most, ten in the class. In Potions, only five of them remained though Hermione deduced that there were a few who were just using the flu to skip Potions (aka Harry and Ron). With only five of them in the room, an enraged Snape decided on a potions recipe practically the size of her notebook and fitted her with Blaise Zabini.

Sighing, she supposed it can't have been as bad as the group Justin Finch-Fletchley had been stuck in…How could anybody get anything done with Crabbe and Goyle as partners?

Blaise didn't even bother looking at her. He ripped the ingredients list in half, handed the top part to her and went to work on his half. At least her partner was efficient.

Hermione quickly scanned the list, looking for ingredients she would have to pull from the shelves. Her eyes brightened at the challenge before she grinned in excitement.

"Been a long time since you've had such a difficult assignment, hmm?" Blaise commented, his voice cutting through the silence that had permeated the room. Even Crabbe and Goyle were quiet.

"Right," Hermione offered, barely paying attention. Practically leaping from her seat, she went to the shelves and started gathering jars of ingredients in her arms.

Blaise watched blankly for a scant second before going back to his own duties. Strange girl. She was probably the only one in the school who would be excited about a difficult potions assignment.

"Afterwards, do you mind if I accompany you to your dormitory?"

"Huh?" She was utterly confused. "I'm afraid I might need an ear cleaning. What did you say?"

Blaise blinked at her, his features void of any expression, "I need to speak with Malfoy."

"Right. Of course." Hermione shook her head. "I don't know why I'm saying this but I'm not sure if he's up for visitors. He caused such a ruckus when Pansy tried to visit him last night. I almost felt bad for the poor girl."

"Sympathy from a Gryffindor? That's simply unheard." He mumbled softly, bending over the text.

"I said, _almost_." Hermione argued. "In any case, you can. Just don't blame me if he turns that infamous Malfoy temper upon you."

"Again, it's astounding. Are you helping a Slytherin out? Don't make this a ritual, Granger. Otherwise, people might talk."

"People already do talk." She shot back. Pursing her lips, she blew an exasperated breath. "Really, the both of you are so alike it's uncanny. By the way, I'm not helping. Just a warning in case Malfoy decides to leave me partner-less for this week's potion's assignment."

…………….

"_What is it now, PANSY_?" Draco bellowed, regretting it instantly as his skull threatened to explode.

"No need for such a nasty greeting, Malfoy." The figure drawled before entering the room in such a way that would have made Snape jealous.

Draco groaned. "What is it, Zabini?" He rasped before he was taken over by a series of body-racking coughs.

"This is usually out of my league but Snape has insisted you go see Madame Pomfrey." Blaise coldly stated.

"Well sorry to have _troubled_ you so, but I'm not going." Draco answered before pulling the covers up like a petulant child.

"Oh stop being such an infant, Malfoy."

"Who let you in here?" He tried to yell. Instead, his voice withered away weakly.

"I let myself in here!" Hermione hotly stated. "I'll be darned if you escape another night of Head duties just because you're too inane to visit Madame Pomfrey."

"Head duties…lord woman, is that all you think about? I'm practically on my death bed here!"

Before Hermione could respond, Blaise held his hand up and sighed, "Which is all the more reason you should visit Madame Pomfrey."

"But-," Draco began, feeling another round of coughs coming on.

"No buts." Blaise stated over the loud hacking noises.

Spitting into a napkin to the disgust of the other two occupants, Draco flopped back on the bed and pulled up his covers. "Her potions taste like Weasley's generation-old gym socks after a game of Quidditch in the rain." He muttered as his last line of defense.

Hermione's lips twitched. "Good."

………………

Another week later, most of the students had returned. Harry and Ron included, to the excitement of Hermione. With them having been bed-ridden for several days, she had been kept from visiting them lest she catch the cold. With Malfoy already out of action, there was no way the other Head student could become sick. Otherwise, how would anything get done?

Entering the dormitory on her return from Hogsmeade with her two best friends, Hermione was surprised to see Malfoy pouring over his books as he fervently worked to finish the work he had missed. As Heads, they received more and longer assignments than the other students did. One week was about a month's worth of work for the general student body. Feeling a bit sorry, she called out, "Malfoy."

He didn't even look up.

"Right. Well I was going to offer my notes but obviously you're doing fine by yourself."

"I don't need help from the likes of you."

"Oh give it up, Malfoy. You've called me names due to my bloodline for as long as I can remember coming to this school. I've gotten used to it." She answered before throwing her books down on the recliner, much like he had down the previous week. Pivoting on her heel, she strode up to her room.

Draco glanced up for a moment before walking over to the recliner and took a wad of papers from the middle of the pile. He had refused the help but the girl just didn't take no for an answer. He certainly couldn't be blamed if he took advantage of that. Having found the answer he was searching for, he quickly jotted away at his homework.

"That girl…she really needs to learn how to control her temper." He muttered under his breath.


End file.
